Sisu is an untranslatable Finnish term that blends resilience, tenacity, persistence, determination, perseverance and sustained, rather than momentary, courage: the psychological strength to ensure that regardless of the cost or the consequences, what has to be done will be done.

It originates from the word sisus, meaning “intestines” or “guts”; Daniel Juslenius, author of the first Finnish-language dictionary in 1745, defined sisucunda as the place in the body where strong emotions live. In a harsh environment and with powerful neighbours, it was what a young nation needed.

Sisu is what, in 1939-40, allowed an army of 350,000 Finns to twice fight off Soviet forces three times their number, inflicting losses five times heavier than those they sustained.

Saw this image this morning. Great example of Finn Mosin Nagants and the soldiers who used them. Finn Nagants used to be...maybe still are... at the top of the Mosin Nagant collector desirability list. Like the difference between a 1932 Ford and a hot rod Deuce Coup, the Finn rifles were rebuilt to be more than they were originally produced to be.